Bush's Democratic Friends In Congress Pg. 4 A JOURNAL OF FREE VOICES AUGUST 18, 1989 • $1.50 The Union Vote Labor Elects a President and Considers January Endorsements BY LOUIS DUBOSE Austin N THE LAST Saturday in July, Texas AFL-CIO President Harry CO Hubbard handed his gavel over to Joe Gunn. Though Gunn had been unani- mously elected president of state's 250,000 union workers only a few hours earlier, the election had been won in July of 1987 when Gunn defeated by 20,000 votes the candidate Hubbard had recruited to challenge him in ALAN POGUE the secretary-treasurer's race. When the Delegates caucus at the AFL-C10 Convention message board at the 1987 convention read "Congratulations, Joe Gunn," the man who had read the handwriting on the north wall porate into a new constitution the state's the Palmer Auditorium and into retirement of Austin's cavernous Palmer Auditorium "right to work" law. The proposed constitu- to a Bryan bank board and the Beaumont- was Harry Hubbard. What he read was that tion was defeated by a slim margin, with based John Gray Institute (a the term he was then beginning would be labor delegates (at a convention comprised labor/management thinktank), Hubbard said his last one. The challenge to Gunn, then of the entire legislature, with a mandate to that among his greatest disappointments was the incumbent secretary-treasurer, hadn't, amend the constitution) withholding their the election of "men like Bill Clements and after all, come out of nowhere; if Ronald votes in protest of the right-to-work provi- Ronald Reagan." The comment somehow Cantrell hadn't been recruited by Hubbard, sion. The convention was a trial by fire for fits Hubbard's approach to politics. Though he wouldn't have been a contender. So even the newly-elected AFL-CIO president, he had once served as the AFL-CIO's before the new officers were sworn in, the Harry Hubbard. It served to consolidate his legislative director, as president, he rarely talk on the floor of the 1987 convention was power and was sufficient to discourage got as personally involved in legislative that Gunn would challenge Hubbard in Sherman Fricks, the building trades union affairs as most anticipate that Joe Gunn will. 1989. leader elected as secretary-treasurer at the Hubbard seemed to be more inclined toward So Harry Hubbard graciously bowed out same time that Hubbard unseated Brown, electoral politics. Perhaps, as some have and this year's convention was something from running for president at the next labor observed, he perceived that the legislature, of a four-day salute to the retiring president convention. and particularly the House, as lost cause who had held office since he ousted During the 16 years Hubbard presided for labor — at least until progressive incumbent Roy Evans in 1973. Hubbard had over the AFL-CIO, union membership candidates capture more House seats. assumed office just as a constitutional increased from 195,000 in 1973, to 300,000 When Hubbard came to power 16 years convention was about to convene in Austin, in 1984, then declined to its current ago Texas labor leaders often seemed unable with business interests determined to incor- 226,000. Before he walked off the stage of Continued on page 6 DIALOGUE Mattox Defended who hand-delivered and paid for the (non) bTEH TEXAS story to be published by a broke, archaic Your June 16th cover story, "Jim Mattox: magazine which no longer credibly Two Inquiries," is so lacking in journalistic represents the tradition of Mrs. R. D. server integrity it is a prime example why your Randolph. "A Journal of Free Voices"?? journal is always on the brink of financial I think not. A JOURNAL OF FREE VOICES failure and is no longer considered relevant Patricia F. Coker outside a small group of ideologues. Houston We will serve no group or party but will hew hard to the truth as we find it and the right as we see it. We I have watched your magazine decline are dedicated to the whole truth, to human values from the lofty principle exhibited on your Hightower above all interests, to the rights of humankind as the masthead. By sliding from "A Journal of Clarification foundation of democracy; we will take orders from Free Voices" to what appears to be "A none but our own conscience, and never will we over- political look or misrepresent the truth to serve the interests of Journal of Bought-Off (or Sold-Out) A recent item in the Observer's the powerful or cater to the ignoble in the human spirit. Propagandists," your publication appears to intelligence column (TO, 6/30/89) suggested Writers are responsible for their own work, but not be licking the boots of your largest that maybe I was accusing Travis County for anything they have not themselves written, and in advertiser in adopting a sudden and recent Democratic Chair Chuck Herring of being publishing them we do not necessarily imply that we agree with them because this is a journal of free voices. anti-Mattox bias. fatefully slow to respond to our agency's Now come on . this so called call for Democratic help this spring when SINCE 1954 "investigative report" must have blown Bad Bill Clements and the forces of Publisher: Ronnie Dugger your entire year's investigative budget .. Ignorance and Arrogance were trying to Editor: Dave Denison eliminate my elective position and shut down Associate Editor: Louis Dubose unless of course you obtained the Editorial Interns: Jim Lacy, Brian Maffly depositions surreptitiously. In laymen's TDA's pesticide-safety programs. Not so. Calendar: Elisa Lyles terms that means hand-delivered by Chuck personally assures me that while Washington Correspondent: Mary Anne Reilly someone in the insurance industry with a space limitations kept him from getting an Contributing Writers: Bill Adler, Betty Brink, "action alert" in the Party's Demo Memo Warren Burnett, Jo Clifton, John Henry Faulk, big interest in Mattox's tough stance in Terry FitzPatrick, Gregg Franzwa, Bill Helmer, pending anti-trust insurance litigation. newsletter in as timely a manner as my James Harrington, Amy Johnson, Michael King, This report is not the standard fiercely supporters requested it, he did manage to Mary Lenz, Dana Loy, Tom McClellan, Greg independent, classic alternative journalism find space for it in the next issue. Moses, Debbie Nathan, Gary Pomerantz, John Your item also reported that "some have Schwartz, Michael Ventura, Lawrence Walsh your publication was once (long ago) known Editorial Advisory Board: Frances Barton, for. For your publisher to stoop to using suggested" that Herring was slow to act Austin; Elroy Bode, Kerrville; Chandler another reporter's (unused) background because his senior law partner is one Ed Davidson, Houston; Bob Eckhardt, Washington, notes that are at least three years old is the Small, a Republican factotum and Austin D.C.; Sissy Farenthold, Houston; Ruperto Garcia, lobbyist who ran very unsuccessfully against Austin; John Kenneth Galbraith, Cambridge, height of impropriety. He assumes a Mass.; Lawrence Goodwyn, Durham, N.C.; conspiratorial tone and writes, "Testimony State Senator Gonzalo Barrientos in 1986 George Hendrick, Urbana, Ill.; Molly Ivins, to the jury was eerily missed or ignored and who lobbied vigorously and just as Austin; Larry L. King, Washington, D.C.; Maury by the state or local press." Then for the unsuccessfully this year for the "sunsetting" MaVerick, Jr., San Antonio; Willie Morris, of me and the entire agricultural department. Oxford, Miss.; Kaye Northcott, Austin; James Observer to promote this story with advance Presley, Texarkana; Susan Reid, Austin; Geoffrey copies to the state and local press is the But Herring cannot be held accountable Rips, Austin; A.R. (Babe) Schwartz, Galveston; height of arrogance . or a desperate for the reactionary huckstering of a law Fred Schmidt, Fredericksburg; Robert Sherrill, attempt to give the poorly reasoned story partner. Weird as it is, in the modern world Tallahassee, Fla. some much-needed credibility . of big firm lobbying-and-lawyering, it is Layout and Design: Layne Jackson But once you get past the big headlines, common for these firms to employ at least Typesetter: Lana Kaupp one of each political species so that the evil Contributing Photographers: Bill Albrecht, Vic the titillating sub-headlines and read the Hinterlang, Alan Pogue. droning piece that stretches so hard to try that one partner pursues can be countered Contributing Artists: Eric Avery, Tom Ballenger, to draw a preconceived conclusion, the story by the good of another. That is the position Richard Bartholomew, Jeff Danziger, Beth Unless of course in which brother Herring — a solid Epstein, Dan Hubig, Pat Johnson, Kevin Kreneck, doesn't support the lead. Michael Krone, Carlos Lowry, Ben Sargent, you stumble upon the carefully highlighted Democrat — finds himself. Herring can't Dan Thibodeau, Gail Woods. sidebars on "The Law" (which by the way "manage" Small, but neither does Small Managing Publisher: Cliff Olofson once you've read the story thoroughly does "control" one iota of the political Subscription Manager: Stefan Wanstrom not apply) or the two sidebar disclaimers movements of our County Chairman. What Special Projects Director: Bill Simmons that the author never talked with Mattox and a strange and complex world it is in which Development Consultant: Frances Barton how much "we regret Mattox was not "partners" are "opponents." But there it SUBSCRIPTIONS: One year S27. two years S48, three years $69. Full- time students SIS per year. Back issues S3 prepaid. Airmail, foreign, group. available by our press time for interview." is. and bulk rates on request. Microfilm editions available from University Jim Hightower Microfilms Intl., 300 N.